A New Kind of Youth Ministry

Wow, this has been a great book so far. I am only on chapter two, but I am loving it. It is really guiding me in the transition I am mentally making in youth ministry. I have a few favorite quotes so far:

"Another big reason why students are not able to move past a static faith [a faith that does not move] and form a faith that is mobile is because we youth workers talk more with our students about what they should not do as Christians rather than encouraging them in what they should do. We talk a lot about not sinning, but sometimes we do very little to help students form faith habits that will nurture them as disciples- habits that help them celebrate in their jubilant moments and fight through the times of struggle, temptation, and confusion." -p.47

Another Good Quote was from Kendra Dean:

"If young people are to practice faith when they graduate from youth ministry, the most important gift churches can give them is lifestyle faith instead of program faith. Of course that doesn't mean that Christian programs don't have a role to play. But young people aren't looking for programs; and when the church makes faith into "one more thing to do" we turn the gospel into an extra-curricular activity, one among dozens, and in doing so we gut it of its transforming significance. The last thing postmodern young people need is something more to do. They have plenty to keep them busy, but precious little to make them holy." -p.50

Man, I have been thinking this for some time, but I was not sure anyone else was. I was beginning to think that I was crazy. Youth ministry is all about keeping youth busy and out of trouble right? Youth ministry is also about conveying information and making them feel guilty about how bad a Christian they are so that they will follow Jesus better...Right?